In poker, the definition of a "calling station" is someone who always calls no matter what the cards, no matter what the odds. Someone who always follows and never leads. Riding to the end, they are the stopped clocks of poker. They may not be winners but they are right twice a day.
Over and over, the Republicans play their cards, make their bets and the Democrats are always following. Reacting to the play, the only call, never raise. They don't play to win, they play to be at the table at the end of the night.
If they had a motto it might be "The mower hits the tallest blade of grass first".
Exceptions to this are Feingold who plays a very spirited game, Hillary who plays a very deep game and Kennedy who has been playing for so long he just plays percentages at this point.
The point here is that when something comes up like immigration, the tendency is for Democrats to run around like Chicken Little.
It is pathetic how predictable it is.
Luntz's talking points came out on KOS yesterday. These guys do good work. Amazing to see the planning and depth of this offensive. Sad to see so few real players on the side of good.
Here is the poker players perspective on immmigration -
come over the top, make them justify their position that illegal immigration is at the forefront in the decline of civilization as we know it.
From the article:
WASHINGTON, May 25 -- A compromise Senate bill that would toughen border security and put most illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship emerged intact Wednesday from more than a week of impassioned debate. Its advance set up a showdown with the House over the most substantial overhaul of immigration law in 20 years.
Here are the four main Republican talking points.
1) PREVENTION. Reform must start with the prevention of further illegal immigration,
and that prevention starts at the border. While a majority of Americans believe it
is the economic consequences of illegal immigration that is doing the most damage,
it's the principle of prevention that the public sees as the most important solution.
If we stop the inflow of illegal immigrants, we can start to address the problems
created by illegal immigrants already here. But if we fail to prevent new illegal
immigrants from entering the country, no reform measure will be truly effective.
Why goodness gracious. It sounds like yet another federal agency has been left to flounder with no real
direction. Why are we not surprised? I guess it is yet another example of how this administration has let
cronyism destroy yet another federal agency. Heckuva job there Brownie!
When it gets so bad that otherwise law abiding, hard working people
are forced to go around the system risking life and limb in order to come to this country and work, you can see that once again our administration is
out of touch with the agencies they administrate.
Six years of neglect, corruption and cronyism have mushroomed before us into the problems of today.
As backup for this issue, gather together and get to the press some good well spoken H1B visa holders and let them
tell you how messed up the INS is and what they (the cream of the crop) go through in order to get a green card.
Plenty of untapped anger here to rock the Bush administration.
2) PROTECTION. Immigration reform needs to be about protecting the generations of
Americans who came here the right way. For most Americans, protection is as much
about economic security as it is about homeland security so say it and personalize it.
"This is about overcrowding of YOUR schools, emergency room chaos in YOUR
hospitals, the increase in YOUR taxes, and the crime in YOUR communities."
Why goodness gracious. If you knew what the Department of Homeland Security was putting these people through I
don't thing you would be able to find one of your own ancestors who wouldn't walk across the border to our beloved
country rather than wait 10 years until some beareaucrat got their act together and decided it was time to let you
in.
Never mind that you have a job waiting for you.
We all came here at one point in our history. Take a little time and look at what this administration puts decent hard working people through who want nothing more than a chance to experience the taste of liberty and freedom. What gall they have to blame their underfunding of schools, their lack of any health care plan on immigrants.
The very people who have lowered taxes and sent deficits through the roof are
now trying to pin their fiscal irresponsibility on immigrants.
Get some immigrants, legal and illegal in print. Get the public to understand what the wait is, how unreasonable the requirements are, to try and get someone through the system. It will be obvious why people walk across the Rio Grande rather than wait 10 years for a visa.
3) ACCOUNTABILITY. Illegal immigration is a comprehensive problem that requires a
comprehensive solution, and accountability should be at the core of every solution.
"Those who flaunt the rule of law should be held accountable. Those who enter
this country illegally to commit a crime should be held accountable. Those who
hire illegal immigrants should be held accountable. And those who turn their
heads and claim there is no problem should be held accountable."
Do I even need to do this one? If Luntz puts this fish in the barrel even Dianne Feinstein
should be able to hit it with a shotgun.
4) COMPASSION. This is the component lacking in much of the Republican messaging
on illegal immigration thus far. You are quick to condemn the problem, as you should
be, but no one hears your sympathy for ALL of the innocent victims. This includes
everyone here legally pursuing the American Dream. There people must take priority.
A child brought here by an illegal immigrant is a victim, but so are the children
of legal immigrants and citizens who pay for it in taxes and fewer services
themselves. We cannot deny care to an illegal immigrant, but the rest of us pick
up the tab. The best way to show compassion for illegal immigration is to END
illegal immigration.
This one is almost worthy for Colbert.
Compassion is the component lacking in any Republican messaging.
It is no mystery that they have problems with it.
The problem is the department of
homeland security who let the immigration situation spin out of control. How did this happen? Who is at the wheel? It is a crying shame that at election time with all of the pressing issues we have, we are suddenly faced with this immigration crisis of unprecedented proportions.
Oh the humanity! Why now at the worst possible of all times?
Why indeed. Why have all of these tax
cuts been given to the rich, leaving our vital services in such disarray that there is not enough to take
care of the needy whomever they are.
What kind of administration, what kind of congress lets the system fall
into such disrepair? What kind of people let things get to this point and instead of standing up and taking responsibility
blame the helpless, the poor, the disenfranchised? It is like Katrina all over again.
Are these the kind of people you want running your goverment?
Well, do you punk?